A Past revealed
by Meaki
Summary: Ok, OOC. Ginta is growning up and Koga reveals some stuff about him that he didn't know. meanwhile, Sesshoumaru struggles with keeping his secret and supressing his past.. Implied pairing in chap one.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, that's Rumiko-sensei's story and her's only!

I do however own the original chars here; Akija and Koji... and Hoishi...

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(1) In another story about Sessy's past I made it so Koga and him meet while their fathers were quarreling over land. I've only read to 21 of the manga so please bear with me m( )m

(2) I always thought Ginta seemed younger than the others, or at least in the recent mangas.. And i did it because this is a fiction and such changes can be made;.

(3) Koji; Koga's 20 year older brother who runs the Temle city of the wolves. Where they first were from i dunno and i liked the idea of a small commuity. Also, since Koga's pack were massacered, the waterfall cave must be abandoned huh...

Also; There's a lot of implied pairings here, but only some of them will come true. 'laughs evilly So I hope you enjoy this. I haven't read all of the manga and I don't watch anime.. So there is also a lot of wrong'ies here, but I want it to be like that

Happy reading, you don't 'have' to reveiw.

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Chapter 1

"K-Koga! Wait up!"

Koga, the proud chieftain of the miserable small pack of wolves stepped to a halt. They had been chasing after Naraku's scent again...Which meant a lot of running around blindly for his friends and pack members.

"Rrr... Yes?" He turned towards Hakkaku and leered at both him and his blonde tomahawk.

Hakkaku smiled in between wheezes and fell to the ground utterly exhausted. "Ginta-chan can't keep up anymore... He's back there."

He jotted a finger behind him and received a swift kick for leaving the cub behind.

"What'ya mean: he's back there?" Koga jumped and backtracked until he found the shivering form of his youngest pack member...

His now matted grey (silverish if only he'd give it a wash) and black hair was wet with sweat and it seemed that the wolf-demon had trouble breathing. Koga slowed down as he approached and knelt down to inspect.

"You ok, eh, Ginta-chan?" He was meet with two glittering green eyes, signalling that the cub still was too tired to talk, but used body language instead.

After a short while, during which Hakkaku also backtracked with the rest of Koga's mortal wolves, Ginta seemed to have caught his breath.

"Koga-kun... I'm so tired... We've been running for days without rest..."

He wheezed and curled up, the cold winds of the night chilling his warm sweat.

Koga growled low at this, but made no move to... err.. move...

"If I find it suitable, we'll run for months at no end!" He leant back finally, giving off the signal that everyone else could get a rest.

Hakkaku was the quickest to follow this up as he had already fallen asleep next to Ginta.

"When will we find him? Can't we just go home to the temple?" Ginta snuggled in between Koga and Hakkaku.

Stifling a yawn, Koga took to the task of explaining.

"You see; when my Father died, he left this land to the two of us, me and, unfortunately, my brother Koji.

Koji was to stay in the temple while I left with my part of the pack, soon picking up some of the former outcasts as I made it here to this territory." (Koga's version of how it happened.)

Ginta sniffled which made Koga smile.

"But isn't this Sesshoumaru-sama's territory? Couldn't we get in trouble for being here claiming it as ours?"

"Myes, we could, but since me and Sessy go way back(1), he tolerates us as long as we don't go around killing everything. Very sensitive about his humans now ain't he?"

The leader grinned and offered the youngster his chest as a pillow.

"Mmm..." Ginta seemed very thoughtful tonight, Koga thought to himself.

"Why am I with you?"

"Oh, your parents were with me as we set out, but don't worry--"

"I'll see them in hell..."

Koga looked down at Ginta.

"What are ya talking about? No, no, no, no! They're watching over you, don't be so glum..."

He sniffed at the grey hair, ugh, this kid could use a bath...

"Why did I hear an argument between you and Koji-sama--"

"Because you were being nosy."

Koga smirked and yawned again. "Anything else?"

Ginta hid his cold hands underneath Koga's vest, earning him a gasp from the elder one.

"Why?"

Sighing, the black-haired man looked at him. "Did you know that you still have relatives?"

Ginta shook his head. "No."

Koga looked away. "You're grandmother, mother to your father... She's of the Myawa-clan... She's the one that brought the ability,"

Koga picked up one of Ginta's small hands and held it in his. "to heal wounds into our pack, although we rarely ask her unless it's most needed. You see, healing drains your energy and your body takes in the other's pain as you remove it from them..."

Ginta looked a little taken aback from all this new information and Koga grabbed the chance to continue. "And we have reason to believe that you have inherited that ability... Koji wanted you home at once, but I saw myself as a fit guardian... heh, some guardian eh? Almost got you killed in that harpy attack."

"What makes you think that I'm so special?" Ginta's head was finally resting heavily against Koga's chest.

"Well, you're all special to me, but you." He petted Ginta's head affectionately. "You're my cub now; I want to take care of you. After all, it was my fault that your parents died, and I raised you from the almost newborn that you were when I got home from the battleground, covered in their blood..."

"Avoiding my question 'otousan', why do you think--"

Giving out a short laugh, Koga pointed at the drooling figure next to Ginta. "When you were young, I and he tried our hand at raising you and two other cubs."

Ginta gave Hakkaku and Koga a weird look which made Koga laugh. "No, they weren't ours, but orphans like you. As it were, we would sometimes bring back live prey so you could learn how to hunt."

Koga smiled and closed his eyes.

"I had broken the bird's wings so it would be an easy catch for the three of you and so it was stumbling about with a tail of cubs after him... Hehe." His smile widened and he looked at Ginta again, the cub seemed wide awake now, intent on listening to the 'story'.

"You caught it."

He poked the cub's nose.

"But as you were holding it in your hands, the bird began to twitter and sing. I was like: What in all the Hells! That bird should be eaten be now." Koga mimicked being angry and Ginta favored him with a half giggle.

"Your hands glowed and I was amazed, as I had only heard about your grandmother's powers. And up flew the birdie, swoosh out of your hands. Hehe, you should have seen the look on your face. But after that, Koji wanted you home, said it was risky to have a demon out there with healing powers. Said you'd be better off with your grandmother... Feh. As if he understood. I very well know what dangers you can get into if others find out about your powers Ginta-chan, but I would rather die for you than to see you exploited by some fiend!"

Koga growled into the forest, not really knowing, that Naraku's wasps had heard the whole thing. It was only his sharp sense of smell that dully told him that something was amiss...

They woke all three the next morning to bright sunlight; well, two of them. Hakkaku had taken the liberty to go hunt something for them all to eat as breakfast.

Getting up, Ginta stretched and yawned loudly, his hands scratching at his mud-covered skin. Again, Koga considered bathing the kid.

A normal father would have done it every once in a while, but Koga had had no time lately to be thinking about personal hygiene.

"Oy! Breakfast!" Hakkaku was pulling a small deer after him into the small clearing.

Koga half hissed at him for being loud.

"You need to tell everyone within two miles?" But he happily ate the feast.

After they had eaten, Koga stood up to have a look at both of his friends.

Bloody from the feast, muddy and sweaty from days of running... but then again. They were men, weren't they? They probably liked it.

"You wanna take a bath?" He asked flat out at them. He could use one too.

Hakkaku looked at him as if he'd just gone mad, but mumbled agreement; Ginta laughed and joked about that he couldn't remember the feel of water on his skin.

"Then it's decided! We go bathe." Koga led the way through the forest. They had passed through here before and Koga had noticed a small lake with a waterfall just below the cliff that they had rested on before.

Entering the shore, he quickly sniffed around to see if it was safe; last night's talk had awoken his "mother instinct" about Ginta. After all, the cub was barely fourteen (2)

At last he concluded that it was safe and called out the others as he rapidly stripped his few clothes off and jumped into the briskly cold water, yelling out in surprise off at the many fishes swimming beneath his feet. Hakkaku was more reluctant about it and just sat by the waterfall, dipping his toes waiting to adjust to the temputare.

Ginta, however, who loved mimicking Koga, or anyone else, in almost everything, jumped in and then found himself struggling for land as he found the water _way_ too cold for his taste.

Koga just laughed and began scrubbing himself with sand from the bottom of the pond.

Huddled on land was little Ginta, who hissed angrily at both Koga and the freezing cold water.

"You want it to be warm? This isn't a hot spring you know!" Koga hollered over at him.

"I know!" He yelled back and grinned shakily.

He was keeping his eyes on Koga, so it was Koga's reaction that told him to turn around.

"What the?" He spun around and bumped into the red haori of Inuyasha.

This caused Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, faintly looking a little like his older brother.

Behind him was the houshi Miroku. Ginta knew this because he had used some time to memorize their names.

A splash behind him told that either Hakkaku had finally jumped in or Koga was coming up. Looking under Inuyasha's shoulder he found that it was most possible to be the first one.

"Kagome-nee-san?" He stuttered out, more aware that he was nude now.

(just reaching puberty and oh, the water _was_ cold.)

Desperation gripping him to hide, he almost dived into the red clothes in front of him. After a second of surprise, Inuyasha ordered Kagome and Sango away from the pond.

"Th-thanks.." Ginta shivered, looking up at his savior and giving him a gingerly smile. As long as he was there, he also took the time to sniff Inuyasha's scent, finding a half-breed's scent; intriguing and strange.

"Err-hem..."

He looked up again, but the sound had come from behind him.

Koga glared, Inuyasha glared, Koga glared some more; Shippo sneezed and broke the contest.

"Ginta... Come here..."

"But I'm cold and Inuyasha's warm and did I mention that I feel nude and wanna hide myself and he's _so_ warm and he smells good and _warm_--"

All the guys gave him a weird look, except Hakkaku who was giggling in the safety of the pond.

"What?" Ginta looked around and found himself being dragged away by Koga.

"First of all, we're all guys, so we don't care about your nudity; Second, Kagome-chan is a part of our pack so she can see you nude if she wants to (insert a freaked-out expression from Inuyasha here) and thirdly, we're wild savages and big strong men and not wimpy little boys who need (insert a growl in Inuyasha direction here..) warmth from the enemy..."

Ginta swallowed hard and pouted for a short while.

"But he was-."

"Ginta!" Koga hissed at him and turned back to Inuyasha to glare a little more at Inuyasha.

"What are you doing here; couldn't your doggy-nose have told you we were here first?"

Inuyasha just gave off his trademark "Feh" and crossed his arms. Miroku was taking off his outer robes, leaving his white "Underwear" robes on as he ignored the quarrel and walked over to Hakkaku to ask if the water was any good.

"I didn't think I'd ever see _you_ take a bath, you stinky wolf..." He growled low in his throat

Koga followed the example, with Ginta--mildly amused--stared at both of them. Why they couldn't get along was beyond him.

However, the glaring, snarling, growling etc was interrupted by Miroku's (almost girly) shriek and Hakkaku's loud laughter as the former one tried to bash the latter for lying about the water's temputare.

"Eh?" Inuyasha looked over Koga's shoulder and spotted Miroku now laughing merrily with the blonde demon. They were currently trying to give each other a back rub at the same time, or so it looked... Which naturally freaked Inuyasha out even more than the "Kagome can see you nude"-remark.

"Err, Koga? Look behind you..."

Koga straightened and turned, only to see the same as Inuyasha.

Feeling very much like shouting his lungs raw at Hakkaku for being friendly with the 'enemy', he was cut short as Ginta got into the water and started giggling at the monk's story about when he exorcised a teacup for a boar-demon! Waving his arms in the air, the houshi imitated a fearsome boar jumping out of an itty-bitty tea cup.

Koga looked at Inuyasha, dog-demon looked at wolf-demon, wolf-demon looked back at dog-demon...

"What do we do now?"

Inuyasha stifled a smile. It was nice to hear those words from Koga's mouth.

"Join them."

He grinned, both at the prospect to getting a bath and the look on Koga's face.

"Nice to refresh, eh, Koga-kun?" Ginta smiled in the warmth from the sun, enjoying that Koga was giving him a well-deserved scrub. He wasn't actually supposed to act 'childish' around others, but it was nice to have someone acting 'motherly' around him once in a while.

He rubbed his face into Koga's chest, while Koga tried to wash his hair with some of the oils that the monk had brought with him. No wonder that human always smelled so good Ginta thought.

"Houshi-sama, will I smell just as good as you now?" He smiled at the relaxed creature who was snoozing in the warm sun, free of all his clothes now.

"Hmm?" Miroku opened his eyes and gave Ginta a wink. "Maybe." He smiled secretly at the cub.

'Honestly, I never would have known, but I should have, after all, Ginta was always the more child-like and defenseless one of the lot...' He fell back asleep.

Inuyasha, however, didn't find it amusing at all. So what if the cur had a "cub" with him. It only proved that Koga didn't really care for the safety of his 'mini-pack'... He "feh'ed" and settled better on the rock-shore letting the sun tan his already tanned skin.

"Oy... 'Koga-kun'..." He snarled in sarcasm and glared at the two wolf-demons.

Koga stiffened a little at the use of his name but seemed careless as he gave Inuyasha a short time of his attention. Washing out all that mud out of Ginta's hair wasn't that easy.

"Yes, inu-koro?" He spat, releasing Ginta and telling him to go play with Hakkaku or something.

The inu-hanyou crept closer and settled on a closer rock.

"How come Ginta's with you... No one else to dump him on?"

"Rrr, watch your mouth Turdface." Koga growled at him at first but as Ginta drifted over to play with Shippo, he relaxed more. "You know, dog turd, we're not that unlike each other..." He smirked.

"Oh shut up!" Inuyasha growled at the wolf and got back into the water.

"He's just fourteen years old, you know and no, he doesn't have anyone else... He's an orphan." Koga continued on.

Inuyasha tilted his head to the left and put a finger to his bottom lip, obviously thinking.

"Ah, well, that's strange. Cause I heard that the Wolf-demons have a rather large territory shared with my father's or at least something like that... And a temple where I hear most wolf-demons live these days." Inuyasha scoffed and grumbled something along: 'stupid brother of mine'.

"Can't you dump him with them? Surely even you think it's unreasonable to have a cub tagging along?"

"No, I don't. Ginta's like my own and I took parenthood and responsibility over him after his parents died. I raised him and I think he deserves to run with the pack..."

Koga looked at his rival in both love and war and lowered his guard just a little more.

Heaving a sigh he squinted towards the carefree playmates.

"And just what am I to do?" He looked at Inuyasha with a grim smile.

"Go home? Say: Hey bro, my pack got massacred and I don't have time to take care of Ginta, can you take care of him? No."

He shook his head. "Inuyasha, My brother and I aren't speaking with each other anymore... I ran of with my half of the pack and he stayed safe in the mountain temple with his half along with some of the elder wolf-demons..."

He gave Inuyasha a sore look. "I don't wanna see Ginta hurt, that's why I want him with me..."

Inuyasha almost rubbed his eyes when he thought he saw tears begin to form in Koga's light blue eyes.

"I just..." Koga threw up his hands and swallowed. "I wanna see him safe, but I have to much pride to ask Koji (3) for help. And after that scandal with Naraku, I can't, not now, not ever..." He looked at the white haired demon. "Not after all that's happened with father's pack..."

XxXxXxXx

After they had all finished their baths, and waited for the girls to finish theirs, Kagome asked Koga and the rest to eat with them after finding a good spot for the night.

Miroku held up his hand. "It's going to rain..." He said cryptically, Ginta mimicked the movement and looked up into the sky.

Shippo giggled and gave his new buddy a nudge. The two had bonded quite fast in the pond and were close friends already.

"Well, let's find a cave or something!" Koga grinned heroically at Kagome, but was interrupted by Inuyasha.

"I don't think so." He pointed towards a village. "We have enough to get a room at an inn; I'm not letting my 'pack' sleep outdoors with a storm coming up." He finished and pointed at some dark clouds over their heads.

Koga hissed at him. "Well, excuse me for not having any money to rent a stupid room, but my pack has been out in worse weather!"

He growled and turned to head into the forest. "Come on, we'll find a cave." He looked over his shoulder at the human group and Inu-Koro.

"For ourselves" He grumbled and set of to search for said cave.

Left behind was Ginta, Hakkaku and a dozen wolves.

Ginta sighed and handed his new playmate over to Kagome, he'd never really had anyone else to play with than Hakkaku and he was just four years younger that Koga...

"Bye Shippo-chan..." He turned and ran off along with a just as sober-looking Hakkaku.

Kagome looked after them. "Will they be ok?" She wondered out loud.

"Feh, like Koga can't take care of them..."

She looked back at Inuyasha.

"You're probably right." She sighed and mounted her bike.

XxXxXxXx

A cave can seem like a nice place to spend the night when you look at it in bright sunshine, but it can get really icky after loads of rainwater leak in through cracks. (I should know... -.-;)

"_Koga_..."

"Stop your whining Hakkaku, it won't work!"

Koga settled against the wet slippery and cold walls of the cave. It had proved to be a lot shallower than they thought and didn't do much to keep the rain out.

"Mmm... Ah, ah. Atchoo!" Ginta sniffled after the sneeze and bundled up closer to some of the wolves. They whined as well, but were more used to it.

"Don't worry, just sleep, all right. Tomorrow's another day with sunshine and more trrrracking!" Koga forced a smile towards them. 'No wonder they wanna leave me, look at the hostels I get them... We're all gonna catch our death of colds...' He grumbled and closed his eyes, soon after they were all sound asleep..

Outside however, a dark shadow was lurking.

It slinked its way up to the cave's mouth and peered in, looking right past Koga, who was busy chasing rabbits in his dreamland.

Noticing that Koga was sleeping, it crept inside and stretched its arm out. Gently, gently, it lifted Ginta out from behind Hakkaku and out of the safety of the cave...

It grinned at the two remaining wolves, wondering if it should make a feast from them.

But an inner voice warned it and told it to return home with it's prey.

XxXxXx

Scratching his nose, Koga awoke to silence, almost deafening silence. 'Ginta should be up by now..'

He looked over and spotted Hakkaku sleeping alone. No Ginta-chan...

He got up and looked outside, squinting in the midday sun. No Ginta...

"Ginta?"

He looked around bushes, by the small lake, up on the cliff and even deeper into the slimy cave. But no Ginta..

'Ok, don't panic. He probably just walked away from camp.. Yeah, maybe he went to see Kagome and Shippo.

Koga woke Hakkaku and told him to stay put incase Ginta came back during the day.

He found the group a little bit away from town; they must have had a slow start as well.

Rounding up, randomly stepping up Inuyasha's head on the way, he confronted Kagome.

"Have you seen Ginta?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, is he missing?"

A snort was heard behind them as Inuyasha stood up.

"So he ran away from you, eh, daddy?"

Miroku, Sango and Shippo froze. What had transpired without their knowledge?

"He hasn't run away!" Koga snarled, and then turned back to Kagome.

"I thought that he might have come here to play with the kitsune-cub.."

He was starting to get nervous, where was Ginta?

Turning his face back towards the woods, he howled for his pack to come to where he was.

Hakkaku arrived as called for..

"Yeah? Found him yet?" He looked around.

Koga shook his head and pondered for a slight second, then Hakkaku came with a statement. "I was sniffing around for a good place to.."

He blushed and looked Kagome. "Err, never mind why I was sniffing but I found this odd smell leading away from the cave. I figured it was maybe just a small animal or something, but when I checked again... Koga. Ginta never set foot outside that cave, there's no sign that he did."

The whole group froze as they started to put two and two together in those measly little brains of theirs.

"You mean he was kidnapped?" Miroku walked up next to Hakkaku who nodded.

"I think so! Koga, we should waste no time! We have to follow this fiend!"

'I'd rather die for you than to see you exploited by some fiend...'

The memory stood clear in his mind and terrified him. Some had been there, someone had found out! And it was his fault! He didn't even give a wave or cheerful farewell as he sprinted up back to the cave.

"Koga!" Hakkaku called after him, and then turned towards Inuyasha. "He won't like that I ask this of you, but will you please help us?"

Inuyasha glared after the pesky critter that he called his rival and nodded. He quickly picked up the pace and followed Hakkaku.

Kagome looked at the others and motioned for them to follow as well.

"Koga!" Inuyasha stopped outside the cave and sniffed in the air.

"Over here! Here's the smell, I'm going on ahead." Hakkaku pointed at a small path leading up to the cave entrance then ran off.

"Feh, I don't need to follow that..." Inuyasha growled and grabbed Miroku by the trim of his robes. "Monk! Do you sense anything?"

Miroku seemed generally insulted by the rough treatment but pointed in the opposite direction of were Koga and the pack had gone.

"I might be wrong, but I sense more evil aura coming from there than there. It's possible that the demon has concealed its smell, and then used another demon to lure Ginta's pack away from him."

He pulled away from the dog-demon and huffed.

"Then we head east!" Inuyasha started off, but "SIT!" made it a little more difficult. "What now wench? Don'cha wanna help that cub?"

Kagome sat down next to him. "But of course, but shouldn't you tell Koga that he's running in the wrong direction?"

Inuyasha snorted and got back up. "Why should I care?"

Shippo solved it all. "Don'cha wanna rub it in that you have a better 'nose' than Koga?"

He grinned at Inuyasha, who thought of this, then sighed. "All right, but I don't know how to contact him and he might be far away by now..."

"Howl."

He looked over his shoulder at Sango. "Excuse me?"

She smiled at him. "Wolves have howled as a communication for centuries now and dogs are not that different in their howling.." She shrugged.

"Rrrr-rrr...Feh!" He stomped off to the top of the cliff.

A moment later a deep howl surrounded the area and Kagome had to cover her ears.

"IF KOGA CAN'T HEAR THIS THEN HE MUST BE DEAF!" She yelled at Shippo who nodded.

The howling continued for a half a minute, and then started up again. This went on for two whole minutes, before Inuyasha paused to listen for any answers.

And indeed there was one. A milder howling reached them, looking up, they saw Inuyasha in deep concentration, obviously deciphering the language of the wolves.

Tilting his head up, Miroku asked what the message was about.

Inuyasha, grumbling, yelled back: "They say I have sucky grammar!"

But after a quarter of an hour, Koga returned, shameful that he had taken the fake bait...And Inuyasha loved every second of it!

"Enough of your glory! Where is the trail?" He shouted into Inuyasha's face. He grabbed Koga's arm and pulled him in the right direction.

After two hours of tracking, they ended up with an even longer path... seemingly the demon had wings and so they had to try and smell for it in the air. Not that hard really, considering that Ginta smelled almost like Miroku now thanks to the oils that Koga had washed him with.

XxXxXxXx

"Where, where am I?" Ginta looked around himself. The place he was in looked rich yet humble. A single oil lamp was burning in the corner of the room, whereas a table was in the middle of it and bars were on the windows. Walking over to them he tried to break them, but to no avail.

"Hello?" He shivered, the last thing he remembered before falling asleep was Hakkaku's body heat finally starting to warm him up.

"So, you're awake?" A feminine voice rang throughout the room, he spun around and found himself face to face with the killer of his clan.

"Ka-Kagura?" He stumbled backwards over his feet and fell on the floor. She smiled behind her fan, smiling, yet her smile never reached her eyes, so Ginta never saw that she was smiling...

"Good, you're already on the ground where you belong. My Master will be with you shortly.." She bowed and stepped out of the room through the door.

Ginta had never been inside a house, neither had he seen a door that slid to the side.

Crawling over to the door, he tried pushing on it, but it only creaked, so he tried mimicking the woman, by sliding the damn thing. And what do you know, it worked and he was out in the hallway.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

He was bored, no wait, he was more than bored, he was unamused and unattended... And alone. Sesshoumaru was sitting in a most unusual way. He had placed his chin directly upon the table and were looking up at a bowl of rice...

Rin was at one of his summer castles and so he was all alone.. Except for Jaken. But he didn't count in Sesshoumaru's world of existing things.

Getting up, he slouched over to the window and peeked out. Outside there were birds and undiscovered paths. Places he yearned to visit. But _no_. He was stuck inside because of a nasty cold and a mountain of paper to sign and review...

"Did they cut all the trees in Japan just to make paperwork for me?"

He sighed and rubbed his temples. "Jaken, I'm getting a headache.."

He looked around, Jaken was gone... Was he really? Oh joy! He allowed himself to smile and stepped out of his late father's office.

There were noises outside, commotion even... He frowned, was that why Jaken left his side? Oh man. He wasn't gone forever then... He gritted his teeth and headed outside to see what was going on.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken was quick to cling to his robes as he came into view. He rolled his eyes inwardly and looked around.

"What is going on?" He asked deadpanned, as if not caring that a part of his home was caught on fire.

"It's- it's a demon!" Jaken cried.

Again he rolled his eyes, but this time for real. "And just what are we if that's a demon?" He pointed at the foul thing, currently devouring one of his sentries.

"Um... Angels?" Sesshoumaru dropkicked him across the yard before turning his attention towards the demon.

'Angels... Humph!'

He started towards the creature, when a feminine voice cut the air and almost curling its way into his ear.

"Ah. My lord, my lord, my 'lord'..." Naraku stepped out from beneath the demon, making a dramatic entrance. The demon's scaly and narrow features made it almost female. Just like its father..

"Naraku... It's you..." He announced deadpanned causing Naraku to almost fall on his face.

"Ehehehe... Is that all you have to say?" He grumbled, regaining his balance and smiling coyly at our all time favorite bishie Sesshoumaru.

"Hmmm..." Sesshoumaru placed a finger to his lips and looked at the enigmatic villain.

"What about: Eek... It's the super-ultra-sexy-and-devious villain Naraku..." He said all this with a deadpan voice and kept his eyes on a nodding Naraku.

"Yes, something like that, but," He held up a finger. "I would never ever hire you as a voice actor; your acting sucks." He stuck out his tongue.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, then waved his hand at Naraku. "Whatever just threaten me like you always do and be on your way, I'm too busy to play with runts like you..."

"Erk...Do you wish to die or something?" Naraku raised his hand as a command to the serpent like demon. "Kill him!"

And so, Sesshoumaru raised his other eyebrow...

"Rawr!" The demon charged at him, full speed, yet he dodged it easily, and tore it up with Tokijin.

"Pathetic..." He looked over at Naraku who stood there dumbfounded. "I already told you... I won't come inside you and I'm sick of you coming here to--"

He halted the scolding and began to cough. And the coughing didn't end there, it was growing from his throat and went all the way down into his lungs and soon it felt like he was coughing up his insides!

Losing strength, he knelt down, never taking his eyes off of Naraku, who seemed keenly interested in his illness.

"Are you ill?" He frowned at his own words. He couldn't have a sick body part; it might contaminate the rest of him... He turned to exit.

"I'll come back when you're feeling better... Ta ta." He waved over his shoulder and swirled up into the air.

Still coughing and now receiving help from servants, Sesshoumaru managed to get through that he needed his doctor and that he needed him now!

XxXxXxXx

Naraku almost ran through the narrow hallways of his home. This hadn't been in his plans. Sesshoumaru was supposed to be a strong demon that feared nothing, not even diseases... No, this was wrong! He looked up. A flaw in his plans. Nothing more... Wait! Hadn't his wasps picked up something lately? Something about a Healing demon among wolves the other day...

"Kagura!"

She rose bored from her seat as he entered the room.

"Get out!"

He ushered her out and ordered forth his flesh basins... He needed help from a child... And so he would send a new demon that was perfect for the job to go get him!

"Soon, Sesshoumaru, soon..." He cackled and bent over his basins.

"My new child, rise. Show me your powers!"

XxXxXxXx

Sesshoumaru hated being in bed, it only served to remind him of his weakness...

The doctor that he had called out for had been both his father's, mother's and he's own medicine man and had even helped deliver Inuyasha

He was a kitsune of high status and he lived in the mountains somewhere...

Yet he had been trusted to more than just checking up on pups who ran wild or who were bedridden with high fever in the middle of the night. Now, he was standing in front Sesshoumaru with a grave expression on his otherwise kind features.

"My Lord, I think it's worse than what we first assumed..."

He looked away as he approached Sesshoumaru's side, there he knelt next to him. Sesshoumaru breathing was shallow and some of his coughing fits made him cough up blood.

"What is it then?" He didn't really care, had forgotten how to long ago.

"I have reason to believe that you... That you might be dying.."

He stiffened for a brief second, yet he smiled weakly. 'So father was right, a weak child such as I cannot live his full life just because of a measly cold...' He coughed into a waiting handkerchief.

"And what am I supposed to do? Wait it out? Knowing my brother is out there possibly getting himself killed..."

He coughed again, and then made movements to get up.

"Do you remember, that I once swore to kill Inuyasha for what father did to me?"

"Your mother knew that what she was drinking was poison."

The good doctor answered calmly and adjusted his spectacles.

"My mother obviously didn't care what was to become of me." His patient spat back at him.

"But I know that she would have wished you to befriend your father's new mate."

"Hah! My father was a fool to breed with humans and to bring this upon me. I wouldn't be ill to begin with if it hadn't been for him."

Sesshoumaru threw his bed sheet off and got his kimono back on. He didn't have time for lying around in bed. Naraku was intruding daily into his various castles and forts... Something had to be done and he couldn't count that stinky half-breed brother of his for help!

"My Lord.. You saved his life once and now.."

He glared at Hioshi (the doc). "And now what?" He hissed, feeling his already aggravated mood get out of hand. Breathing in he returned to his senses.

"You wish to-."

"Hioshi-sensei, you're speaking out of line."

He made way to his desk. (Yes, he has a bed in his office)

"But this is absurd!" The doctor spluttered out.

Sesshoumaru looked coldly at him. "Leave me to my work will you?" He looked back down.

Giving a slight bow, Hioshi left, but stayed on Sesshoumaru's grounds in case he was further needed. To think, that even after declared dying, the Great Lord of the Western lands would not lie down and admit defeat.

XxXxXx

She was a marvelous child. Obedient, well, more than Kagura anyhow, with chilled beauty and elegance far beyond her other sisters.

Naraku grinned at his newest self. "I shall call you!" He stopped and fidgeted for a second then struck a pose.

"The terminator!"

He heard a sound behind him and turned to Kanna. "Yes?"

"That's taken... What about Akija...?"

Naraku nodded and agreed to this. "Rmm-hmm, fine!"

And so Akija was born!

"Go; go get the demon with the powers to heal!" He ordered and threw her out the window. This might have been bad, but she was fortunately designed with wings.

XxXxXx

(Present)

"Ok, now I'm really scared!" Ginta shrieked and fell on his butt again.

Naraku smirked at him and offered a hand. "Oh, why should you be?"

Ignoring the hand, Ginta kept his eyes on the villain in front of him.

"Be-because you're pure evil!" He got up, shakingly, on his own and tried to glare.

This earned him a laugh from the black-haired man's direction. "Silly little wolf. I do not wish to harm you. In fact. I need your help." He held up a hand, Ginta could see the shards glow within it.

"You help me cure someone, I care for of their illness and I'll let you have some of my Shikon shards, sound fair?" He smiled.

"Um..."

Koga had taught him to very important things; never talk to strange and possible dangerous demons and take the opportunities that fall before you. And that's what he did.

"How many of the shards are we talking about?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

'Oh goodie, he swallowed the bait.'

"Erm, yes, let me have a count..." He lowered his hand and opened it. Other than shards there were lots of other shiny things in his hand.

Ginta had never seen so many shiny things in his life and had bitten his lip in order to keep himself from trying on some of the rings that were in Naraku's hand.

"One, two, three--" Naraku pretended to discover the cub's interest in the other shiny stuff. "Oh, you like this?"

He held up a necklace made out of gold and rubies and smiled with glee.

Ginta bit his lip again, damn, he didn't want to seem greedy and on the other hand, he didn't really now how to control his powers! He smiled weakly and shook his head.

"I-I can't accept this... I'm sorry, but I'm no good." He looked away and tried not to sound rude.

Naraku laughed softly. "It's all right young cub, if you don't want them, it's all right... However, I could train your powers so that you can earn your keep."

He turned and gestured for Ginta to follow him.

They walked until they reached a small indoor garden. Naraku stopped here and fished up a beetle of the ground. "We start now." Obviously the 'I can teach you' had not been a question but rather a command. He turned and ripped one of beetle's wings off. Ginta watched carefully. He backed off a little when Naraku made a move towards him.

Laughing at this, Naraku took the cub's hand and placed the wounded insect in it. "Focus on the creatures pain and wound; imagine that you're healing it. It's really quite simple once you've done it once." He nodded. (How Naraku knows about healing, I have NO idea!)

Looking down Ginta did his best for the insect. Closing his fingers around it, as well as his eyes, he focused. And to his surprise, he saw the beetle as if his eyes and hands had been wide open! It was hovering in front of him, one wing missing. He stretched out his imaginary arm towards it and touched the wound on it's back. Suddenly his arm jerked and burning warmth flooded from his fingers. The beetle's wing was slowly regenerating itself with the help of his energy!

Right after the image faded, he opened his eyes with a snap and looked into his hands and true enough, the beetle flew off into the garden. Swelling with pride, he looked at the taller demon, but looked hastily away from the evil gleam in Naraku's eyes.

"Very good... Come, you must regain your energy!"

He snickered and slammed a hand onto Ginta's slender shoulder and guided him away. "Tomorrow, we will try bigger creatures and more serious wounds!" He flung his hair over his shoulder and laughed higher.

Up in a tree not far away, Kagura wondered what on earth had gone into her brain-damaged 'Father' this time...

XxXxXx

"Ginta-!"

Koga leapt from a cliff to further his path downwards. Inuyasha was hot on his trail as were Kirara with Sango and Kagome with Shippo on her back.

"Anything new houshi-sama?" Sango wondered.

Miroku huffed; after all, he was mortal and had to ride a bike on top of that.

"Yes, the evil aura is closing in!" He yelled and dodged a rock.

Inuyasha growled and announced that they were close to Sesshoumaru's castle grounds, so they had to be careful.

A blast shot him into some bushes and caused them all to halt.

"Careful? You have never been careful in your entire life..."

Inuyasha hissed and pulled out his sword. "Leave us alone! We're busy!"

His older brother smirked and rested his own sword on his shoulder. "Oh, why so busy that you take the chance to barge right into my garden?"

They looked around, and true enough. Kirara was standing in a field of flowers; Koga was resting his feet in a sakura tree while Hakkaku and Miroku were standing in an ocean of sand...

They all hurried to move away from the flowers, sand etc.

Miroku dismounted the bike and bowed before the mighty lord. "My humblest apologies but we were in such a rush that we were not seeing the path, but blindly following the winds..."

(Higher being-talk here...)

Inuyasha stared at him, and then turned to his brother. "Listen, the lecher is right; we don't have time to see the road even. Just let us pass; we can fight some other time!"

Sesshoumaru's face fell into shadows, it looked for a while as if he was transforming, but to no one's eye, he was still suffering from the chest pains. Looking back up, a trickle of sweat running down the side of his cheek, he lowered his sword. "Tell me what requires your attention so much, and I might let you go with nothing but a warning for trampling my flowers..."

Koga sighed and jumped down from the tree. "Listen, my 'cub' has been stolen by Naraku and I want him back alive!"

He didn't expect the lord to understand, he was, as always, cold and uncaring. The lord shifted, wishing for nothing else than a warm cup of tea in front of the fireplace and nodded towards the wolf.

"Very well, since I'm in no mood for arguments... Go away and try to keep away from my gardens." He turned and jumped in the direction of his castle.

"Weird that he gave in just like that..." Kagome wondered out loud and hugged Shippo closer. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Inuyasha, do you think he actually has a softer side?"

Her demonic friend scoffed and looked back at her. "If he has a softer side, then why does he wish to kill someone that has never harmed him?"

Peering down at him, Shippo shook his head. "Oh, so you weren't the one to tear his arm off and who almost killed him using the 'Scar of the wind'?"

He snuggled closer to Kagome as the dog-demon glared back at him. "What? You did!" He retorted to the glare.

Turning away, Inuyasha ignored him to look at Koga. "We have to get going, houshi! Anything new?"

XxXxXx

"Ah Kagura, my dear older sister."

Akija smiled seductively at the wind-demon and adjusted her shimmering wings so that she could have a seat next at the table. "Any news from the world beyond the living?"

Kagura pouted and got up, she still wasn't sure how long this one was going to survive, but she didn't feel like staying in her company too long at a time. "No, so if you'll excuse me, I have business."

Stomping out into the hallway, she tilted her head to listen if Naraku were nearby and he was. In a room down the hall, she could hear the cub's strangled voice and her father's deep laughter. Not that she cared what that weirdo did to the kid.

"Naraku! I feel that something is approaching the castle!" She barged in with the fake message and gasped as she saw the cub utterly drained and collapsed on the floor.

Naraku looked coldly at her. "I'll attend to it with my golems and wasps... Anything else?"

He saw her staring at Ginta and smiled evilly. "We're training and it seems that he was drained of power much more than I thought... Prepare a meal for him will you Kagura?"

He swooped out the door and giggled his way down the hall.

XxXxXx

He was starting to believe that he would never have another nice awakening ever again as he opened his eyes to the wind witch.

"AH! Get away from me!" He trashed about to try and get her away from him.

"Easy, or you'll be meeting your friends sooner than you want to cub!" She hissed back at him and withdrew her hand from his forehead.

He growled back and pulled the covers closer to him. "Um.. What do you want?" He muttered as she didn't make any motion to move away from him.

"I-." She looked away. "I wish... To apologize, for what I did to your-." She looked back up at him.

"You're apologizing? To me?"

She nodded and handed him a teacup. "Drink, if you are to keep up with that bastard, then you need to be rested. Mark my words; he will push you even harder, so hard that you would wish that you died with your comrades."

He accepted the cup and slurped a little. After half a minute of this, Kagura snapped and took the cup away from him. "Don't slurp!" She handed him a bowl of miso-flavoured ramen.

This was new to him as well and he dipped his fingers into the bowl in order to fish out the weird contents. A yelp and the bowl went on the floor.

Kagura sighed and picked it up. "What ever is wrong with you? Don't you have any manners?"

She scowled at him and used some fresh breeze to dry the rest of the miso up.

Ginta shook his head. "I was raised in the woods, traveled the land and slept with wolves!" He yelled proudly and earned himself a smack.

"Quiet! Naraku hates noise, so if you have any wish to run with your pack again, you better shut up and learn some manners."

He pouted and hid himself underneath the bed sheets. "I wanna go _home_!" He cried out, the cry muffled by the bed sheets.

Kagura sighed again and sat herself down next to him. "You'll never be free cub, never. Not as long as he sees a use for you..." He threw the sheets off of him and stared at her.

"And once he looses interest, he'll most likely kill you..." She met his frightened gaze with a blank one. "I'm sorry."

He bit his lip and stretched out a hand. She seemed hurt, lost and scared. Letting a finger trace down her cheek, he closed his eyes.

'Why did you kill them?'

'He told me to.'

'Like that's a good reason.'

'Hey, I was a newborn, and didn't have any will yet!'

'I'm not mad at you anymore, just scared...'

'You will be more than that once he's finished with you. He'll never reward you, but as long as you work with him, he might let you live.'

'I'll fight him!'

'And die trying... Honestly cub, he won't let any of us live...'

"What are you doing Ginta-san?"

Ginta tore himself from the telepathic contact and stared at Kagura.

"Um... She had a wound, and I was just training you know..." He looked up at Naraku and half-smiled at him.

Naraku smiled back and stepped back. "Come along, we have work to _do_!"

He let Ginta pass him, then turned back to his daughter. "You try and warn him or help him escape, I'll tear your head from your shoulders and let Akija feast on your body while you watch! Oh and stop lying about there being someone approaching my castle!" He hissed and hurried after the wolf cub.

"I know you will.." She smiled sadly and got up to review the mess, indeed, the child needed to learn to act a little more appropriately.

XxXxXx

"Closer! Inuyasha! I can feel it! Wait for us!"

Miroku, now assisted by Hakkaku on Lady Kagome's bike, were stepping harder on the pedals to try and catch up.

"Let me try it houshi-sama." The wolf grinned and swiftly swatted the monk away and tried his hand at riding a bike. Not that hard, since all you need is motion and it was still moving.

"You're too slow!" The dog-demon yelled back at them and dodged a tree branch. Koga, however, slowed down and leveled with the two.

"Where is it coming from?" He asked keenly.

An outburst from Kagome alarmed them. " I sense Shikon shards, heading this way!"

She and Sango steered Kirara to the ground and scouted around themselves.

Koga sniffed in the air and dread filled him as he recognized the scent. "Kagome, come here!" He ran over to her and hugged her close to his chest.

"Koga!" She exclaimed but he raised a finger to his lips, telling her to be silent.

Within a minute they were surrounded by something that felt like thirty wolves and demons! Growling and hissing, they glared at them, demons with their spears and wolfs with their fangs.

Inuyasha pulled his sword out but Koga hissed at him.

"Put it down!"

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" A strong looking black-haired demon sneered at them and shouldered his spear.

Giving a look in Koga's direction, he laughed mockingly. "Ka-chan? What brings you home?"

He looked around and snickered. "And what a pack you now have, let me see. Three humans, a kitsune cub, a cat demon and, oho--"

He reviewed Inuyasha with something that the other could see as respect. "My Lord Inuyasha, true heir to the western lands."

He kneeled and looked up at a startled half demon. "What owes this grand company?"

Inuyasha blinked and straightened himself in a weak attempt to look lordly. "Just passing through.." He muttered and looked up into the skies.

Koji smiled and got back up. "And so you are in the company of my lowly brother? Wait..."

He looked at Koga again and then looked at the space around his younger brother. "Koga, where's the pack?" He asked with a deadly voice.

Koga shrunk and drew his breath. "Something happened to them... You remember the other packs, you know, from the other caves?"

"Stop talking bullshit, cut to the point before I cut down your last member." He scowled at Hakkaku.

"They went to a fortress to get some Shikon shards, I let them go thinking that they could make it fine on their own, but Naraku was there with one of his spawns and killed them... All.."

He looked up as Koji walked closer to him and Kagome. A hard slap sent him into a tree and sent Kagome to the ground.

"All of them! What do you mean; all of them? What about GINTA?" He yelled furiously at the younger demon.

"We're looking for-- wait, no. He didn't die back then, he got kidnapped lately and we were led here and-"

"Shut UP! I thought you said that he would be safe! I thought I could trust you! Instead I find that you've lost him! Do you know who he is!"

He thundered and threw himself at Koga, grabbing his hair and pulling him to his feet. "You imbecile! I should kill you!"

"Enough Koji-sama." An old female wolf demon erupted from the bushes and viewed them all with interest. Giving Hakkaku a weak nod, she said. "Your fathers will be pleased to see you Ha-chan."

He brightened and grinned at her. "Good to see you too Elder Hakura-sama." He kneeled shortly for her then looked with worry over at Koga and Koji.

Noticing his worry, the woman barked at the couple. "Don't you two have better things to do? Ginta is alive; I can feel it in my bones. But the demon Naraku is using his powers and if they are over-used at this stage of his life, he might not be able to gather strength to keep himself going."

She walked over to them and loosened Koji's grip. "You're brothers; act like it and not like sworn enemies!" Her scolding seemed to have the best affect and Koji raised himself and walked away from them.

"Come to the temple, we'll work out our plans there." And with that, he disappeared.

"Intriguing the young lord of the wolves is."

Inuyasha smacked his throat. "Hello Myoga..." He flicked him away and looked over at his rival. Oh how it had to hurt to be humiliated like this in front of Kagome and him... He thought.

"Oy, Koga, are we going to the temple or should we urge on?"

Koga shifted and snarled. "Yeah, we go to the temple... Hakkaku, you wanna see your folk's right?"

"Yeah, it's been a while now." The blond sighed and walked up next to the old woman. "Shall I escort you milady?" He smiled at her.

"Why, always the gentleman, eh, Ha-chan? One day you'll make someone very happy."

He blushed. "Nah, who'd want me? I barely have hair on my head."

She bonked him on the head. "That's because you never let it grow..."

"Really? Oh yeah!"

XxXxXx

The temple city wasn't grand or anything. It did have a temple; half buried or carved out of the mountain wall. Other than that, cave walls and some huts seemed to serve as houses. Green and vibrant, with cubs and adults living fairly well under the stars. Koga smiled at some but avoided most gazes. Kagome wondered if maybe he had had any arguments with anyone before he left.

Hakkaku seemed to blend in at once with his light spirit and cheerful smile.

"Aya! Ha-chan! Oy, Misabi, you lazy bitch, our boy's come home!" A tall blond demon yelled while flying through the air down towards them.

"Momma!" Hakkaku exclaimed and jumped to meet him.

Kagome froze. 'Momma'? Then who is the-?"

"I'm not lazy Nimoa-kun..." another demon had come up behind her and grinned at the couple in front of him. She turned and grinned up at him.

"Why hello there?" She stuttered and hugged Shippo closer.

He looked down at them. "Hehe, so you are Kagome-nee-san? Ha-chan told me about you. You are more beautiful than he described you as." He bowed and kissed her hand.

At once Koga was there and shoved the much bigger man away.

"Get! She's my mate!" He puffed up his chest but was meet with roaring laughter from Misabi.

"Sorry, wasn't trying anything there now Koga-sama, just saying hello."

He ruffled Koga's hair and pulled him to his chest. "Although, how come she's not with cubs yet? Are you really that shy Koga?"

He grinned mischievously as Koga blushed and pulled himself away.

"And what about you and Nimoa? Any new cubs?"

The tall man shrugged at this. "Nope, he doesn't seem to want anymore of them... Pity." He laughed and went over to take his turn in squishing the air out of Hakkaku, who seemed to enjoy the treatment.

"Close family huh?" Kagome looked at Koga. "Huh?" She asked. "Um.. Koga, how can two men-?"

He grinned at her. "Some male wolf demons can do it, it's rare but it happens. I bet you anything that Hakkaku will lead the tradition on."

He gestured towards a brown-haired demon who was watching Hakkaku from the sidelines. Kagome tried to smile. "We-well isn't that nice."

'Although a little strange..'

She shrugged and went to find Inuyasha but Koga stopped her. "They'll eat you and your friends alive, only thing stopping them from you is that they think your my mate. Sango will have some problems, the monk as well... As for dogturd..."

He looked around and huffed as he came to the conclusion that the dog-demon was gone. "Where the hell is he!"

He jumped up and pulled Kagome with him. a couple off hundred meters away, Inuyasha was sitting upon a rock, contemplating Myoga's words.

"So, both of the brothers are using shards eh?" He gazed away into the distance.

XxXxXx

A month had passed and Koga was still lost about finding Ginta, all they had to rely on was that Naraku's shield would soon fade a little and give them a clue to where Ginta was.

At the same time, Naraku was preparing to go to Sesshoumaru once more. He hadn't been there in quite a while and recently he had heard that Sesshoumaru had fallen more seriously ill than before. He had been training Ginta to the verge of tears many a time and yet the cub hadn't given in, in fact, he seemed to become stronger. Somehow, that made Naraku feel proud...

Ginta on the other hand needed this loop-hole to try and escape to the temple city. He and Kagura had had many talks over the last month and come to be friends. She had also taught him some etiquette and some wind controlling spells. Kagura was now setting all her bets on this cub who was supposed to hate her, but it seemed that he was more forgiving than his leader Koga. If any of them were to survive, they needed to either kill Naraku or get someone else to do it.

XxXxXx

"I hate this place.." Inuyasha yawned and got up from his resting place that he shared with Miroku and Shippo.

"Oy, get up, I think I smell breakfast."

Miroku opened his eyes to glare at his friend. "My mornings would be so much more pleasant if I wasn't to wake to your face, besides, your starting to act like these wolves that surround us."

He nibbled his finger and stared into the ceiling of the cave. He was unfortunately depending on Inuyasha to get him up and down from the cave wall and so he got up, scooping the kitsune along with him. "Come along Shippo-chan, milord is hungry..." He cracked out the chink in his spine and faced the eager demon.

"Hey, if you want, I could just leave you all alone..." He pouted.

Grinning, Miroku snaked his arms around the white-haired hanyou. "Aww, did you want a morning kiss?"

He jumped up and pressed his lips against Inuyasha's before realizing what he had done. "Woops... Inu-!"

"Look momma! Flying monks! That means it'll be sunny."

The cub's mother smiled at this. "No honey, that's 'Jumping Monkeys', not monks.."

Kagome sweat dropped and didn't even bother herself with wondering what the monk could have done. After all, he had been sleeping with poor Inuyasha for a month now and none of the females here seemed to even want to touch him, he had to be rather lonely by now.

"Ho! Kagome, what's for breakfast?" Said demon landed next to her.

"Um.. Roasted... Something?"

Koga appeared at her side and handed her a dish. "Here, don't eat that."

He looked at how Inuyasha was digging in.

"It's human meat..." Koga commented coldly.

Inuyasha ran the fastest he could away and threw up in a holt far away.

"Thanks for the warning Koga, you would have thought that he'd learn by now.." She smiled at him and took the dish from him. He nodded and handed a similar one to Sango and a staggering Miroku. "Well, it's almost been a month and Naraku needs to give in and change to human soon, hell, even dogface has turned once now..."

Yes, Kagome had noticed Inuyasha's absence a while back. She looked at him and started munching at her food. 'Wonder if mom and the others are worried..'

"Hey hun, hav' ya heard?" A female wolf transformed to her human form. Kagome continued her munching.

"Hm? What love?" The other demon greeted her with a nuzzle.

The female purred a little before going on. "I heard that the great Lord has fallen ill and cannot attend to his duties."

The male scoffed. "Hah, maybe we should ask Koji-sama to go up there and see if we can kill the bastard..."

At this Kagome stiffened. Were they planning to assassinate Sesshoumaru? Sure, she hated his guts, but he did have better sides to him. Wait a minute, on a second thought; the only demons that she had ever encountered in her own time were the Noh mask and the ghost of that little girl. This made her wonder. Where on earth were all the present-day demons? They didn't just all die, did they? She eyed Inuyasha as he came grumbling towards her. Would he disappear along with everyone else? And after they had found and reunited the Shikon no Tama, would she just go back, never to see Sango, Shippo, Miroku or everyone else ever again!

Inuyasha tapped her gently on the head. "Hey, why so pale? You're shaking even... Are you ok?" He sat down and took some of the ordinary food, fruits and stuff.

Looking at him, Kagome swallowed, now or never! "Inuyasha!"

He looked puzzled at her. "Hm?"

"I-I never see any demons in the future, where do you thi-"

Another tap on her head. "Baka, they're probably all in hiding or something. Heh, Kagome, demons are everywhere and it hadn't surprised me in the slightest is my brother showed up at your doorstep one day asking for me."

He shook his head and continued to eat.

'And what if he does? Inuyasha, will you be there when he asks for you?'

XxXxXx

"Ginta-san! Rise and shine, we're leaving on a hike!"

Naraku pulled at the covers to Ginta's bed. He had begun to be much lazier than he was when he arrived... Maybe he was spoiling the cub... Nah!

Rising from his rest, Ginta dressed in the silk kimono that had been given to him once as a reward for healing the mirror of Kanna. It hadn't been that hard, but he was happy to have something to cover himself with. Sea-blue with red ornamentations on and a green belt around his waist, it looked more comfortable than Kagura's...

"Ready!" He sang and ran to the dining room. 'Oh goodie, Kohaku is up too.'

He grinned at his new friend who most of the time was away from the castle on missions.. Whenever he was here, he usually sat in his room, or in the garden brooding over something. But Ginta liked him none-the-less. They were both kids and he had even gotten Kanna to warm up a little. Throwing some food in his mouth, he sprinted out the door after them. The whole 'family' was gathered.

Naraku turned to face them all and raised his hand to gain attention.

"I'm bringing all of you with me today in case of battle. Remember, we have to keep Ginta-san safe! Kohaku, you will be following him, Kagura, you will walk on his left side, Kanna, you will walk on his right side and Akija you walk in front of him and ensure that he doesn't get hit." He nodded to himself and walked on in front of them.

After walking for hours, they arrived at Sesshoumaru's castle. Jaken was the one who spotted them first and ran to his master's room to bring the news.

"Master! Naraku has spawned two new demons and he has gathered his entire assemble to fight us! Your orders?"

He kneeled, but as he didn't get any answer, he looked back up at the good doctor and Sesshoumaru.

"Why won't you answer milord?" He pried and stumbled back onto his feet.

Hioshi sighed and shook his head. "I'm very sorry lord Jaken, but he is now beyond rescue.."

"Nonsense! He recovered from the flu once, he can do this too!" Jaken wailed and sprinted out of the room and down the hallway in tears.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes again. "Did he fall for it?"

He coughed and wiped some sweat from his brow. Hioshi chuckled and handed him some liquids. "I think so, such a nasty joke to play on your vassal milord. Here, something for your cough."

"Ah, thank you Hioshi-sensei. If only he would disappear for good, at least one of my plagues would go away."

The great lord muttered and drank the liquid. Frowning at the taste, he looked up. "This isn't my usual medicine, what is it?"

His chuckles turning into a darker laughter, Hioshi rose and walked away from him. "It is the same poison that I was ordered to give your dear departed mother.."

He poured Sesshoumaru some more, overlooking the look on his patient's face. "Do you not believe me?" He handed the younger man the goblet.

Sneering, Sesshoumaru slammed the goblet aside and got to his feet. "You traitor! I can't believe I fell for-!"

He fell back and felt blood trickle from in between his slender fingers. "You- You will burn for this!" He hissed and grabbed blindly after his blade.

At the same time, Jaken was trying to fend of Naraku all on his own. Some of the guards had heard the news of their lord's death and had fled the scene in hopes of surviving this day.

"Back to your abyss Naraku! You have come too late to claim milord's remains! He is dead!"

This left Naraku a little shocked; surely, no one would die from a simple cold... Unless someone had been poisoning him! He hissed and parried the flames from the two-headed staff and ran past the sniffling bundle.

"Make haste, my children!"

'No, this is all wrong! I'm the one to take his head, his body as well!' He felt his heart beat quicken.

Running down the corridor, trying his best to navigate, he had to admit that he was lost in the chaos that had been caused by his presence.

Grabbing a servant he tried to ask where the lord's room was, but the servant just fainted and Naraku growled at him. "Gah! I have no time for this! Kanna! Your mirror! Show me the way to his rooms!"

Kanna stepped up beside him and showed him the surface of the mirror. After some ripples in it passed, a long way was shown and he hurried to follow its guidance.

Upon entering the room, he was faced with two things. A dead dog-demon and a wicked kitsune.

"What have you done!" He roared and sliced the kitsune before he could even answer. Turning to the dead, he bowed his head in respect.

"I am truly sorry for my tardiness..." He knelt down and cupped Sesshoumaru's cheek with his hand. "I'm so sorry.."

Behind him in the doorway, the others had arrived. Ginta squinted at the scene. "Was he the one that I was supposed to heal?"

"Yes, but he has been poisoned." Naraku shook his head. "He has gone to the next world, and from there, there is no return.."

"Ay, there is!" Jaken struggled his way between Kagura's long legs and pointed at the Tenseiga. "That blade was what my master used to revive the girl Rin with."

He stared at Naraku. "Normally, I would never let anyone come close to my deceased master's blade, but in light of what has happened." He fell silent.

Naraku nodded and gently pulled the blade from Sesshoumaru's hand, in the commotion; he had chosen that instead of Tokijin.

Raising it over the white-haired man's head, he tried to see what Sesshoumaru saw.

"Well? Do you see what my lord sees?"

He felt stupid, holding onto a sword that was no use. He had never seen the lord use it and had no idea what he was supposed to do.

"...No." He lowered it and raised a hand to his face. "I cannot see whatever he sees. But tell me, what is this blade?"

Jaken buffed himself. "A blade made from his father's fang, the healing blade; Tenseiga!"

Naraku stared at the toad demon. "Healing blade?"

He snickered and threw the blade at the ground. "Useless trash then... Do you think that I can ever use such a blade?"

He scoffed and seated himself by Sesshoumaru's cold body again.

Ginta looked down at it, something about this blade was fascinating him beyond belief. "May I?" He asked Jaken with a bowed head. The toad snorted and muttered something about what the world was coming to, but nodded at the young man.

Kagura watched him as Ginta lifted the blade to his chest. He possessed the healing powers, was it not right if he could use it?

"Do you feel any different?" She whispered into his ear.

Jaken broke her off. "Of course not! He simply isn't the same as milord!"

He hissed and wobbled over to Naraku to tell him to lay off his dead master.

Frowning, Ginta closed his eyes. He saw Sesshoumaru, but nothing else. Disappointed he reopened his eyes. But as he did, he saw odd demons circling the dead man on the bed.

'What are those?' He wondered and stepped forward.

They noticed him and hissed darkly as he approached them. Obviously they didn't like the blade.

'What if I try and cut them down..' Ginta tried to aim, sure, he only had practice with spears, but a sword couldn't be that hard to handle.

He slashed at them! But missed and hit Naraku in his forehead. The elder demon snorted at him, but paid him more attention.

"Whatever are you aiming for?" He snorted.

Ginta tried to slash them again, but this time they dodged the blade and laughed wickedly at him. He growled and ran the blade into one of them in a spear-like thrust!

And what do you know, one down, two to go.

After getting the other two, he sighed in relief and slumped down on the floor.

Sesshoumaru fluttered his eyelids open and tried to focus his eyes on the young man who was holding his blade and who was most likely to have saved his life. "Urgh.. What happened?"

He tried to sit up but the chest pain came back to him and he groaned and leant on Naraku.

Ginta looked from the lord to the dark lord. Naraku nodded at him and removed himself from the bed.

Settling himself there instead, Ginta placed a hand on Sesshoumaru's chest and closed his eyes. Sesshoumaru was rather confused to find all these people in his room plus this young wolf demon...

A bright flash illuminated his eyesight for a second before the pain started to ease, but not only that. His arm was- It was growing back? Much to his dismay, the pain now settled in his arm.

It was slow, but you could see it regrowing the bones and flesh.

Amazed, he looked at his savior, only to see the young man pale and that he had grown weak.

'Healing demon! My Gods, he's draining himself to heal me?'

He stared at Naraku for a second, then back at the cub. 'No. He's not doing this out of charity; I bet that bastard is forcing him to do this!'

He snorted and pushed Ginta away from him. The cub came to with shivering gasps and tremors'; being shaken out of a healing proccess wasn't all that fun he discovered.

"Naraku! What do you want now?" His voice was cold and far more harsh than usual.

The enigmatic demon smiled at him and grabbed Ginta and pulled him close to him. "Only wishing you the best of health."

"And to do that, you want to drain him of all life force?" Sesshoumaru sneered and got to his feet. He had never felt better, that and his arm was regrown almost to his elbow.

"I will not have it that he suffers instead of me. You will all leave my territory and never return."

Naraku faked a whimper. "But after all the trouble of getting him trained and coming to revive you, is this the thanks? If so, good bye!" And so he walked briskly to the window, Ginta still in his arms, and opened it.

"Not him."

He turned back the dog demon. "Pardon?"

Sesshoumaru showed no emotions as he pointed at Ginta. "You are to leave him behind. He will no longer be under your command."

'I know where he belongs, I'll get him home.' The white-haired thought as he looked over at the cub.

Emitting poisonous vapors, Naraku glared at the man before him. "You think I will just hand him to you, just like that?"

Sesshoumaru drew Tokijin and got into a battle stance. "Yes, if you do not wish to die by your own offspring's fangs.."

Stiffening at the threat, Naraku considered this. He had his children with him, but he'd rather not that they where killed yet...

Making up his mind, he tossed the cub to Sesshoumaru's feet. "Fine, have him. He really wasn't all that fun..."

Sulking, he ordered Kagura to pull forth one of her feathers to transport them away from the grounds.

She hesitated, looking at the unconscious cub, then pulling free one of her feathers. 'Good luck Ginta-san. I hope you fare better than I do..'

XxXxXx

"My brother's dead?" Inuyasha could hardly believe his ears. They had stopped a few soldiers on the way towards Naraku's lair and had received the news.

Kagome could hardly believe her ears either. Could Sesshoumaru really be dead?

"Inuyasha-" She turned to console him, but he was already gone, so she turned to Koga. "Um, do you mind if we check this out first? Old enemy of Inuyasha.."

Sticking his nose in the air, Koga agreed and pulled her onto his back.

"Hey! Baby-fleabag! What about Ginta-chan!" Koji yelled after him.

"Ah drats.." He murmured as he saw that he was given no attention and ordered his troops to follow him to the castle grounds.

XxXxXx

Upon appearing on the scene, it seemed that all was quiet, almost too quiet... Inuyasha tilted his head as Jaken came out of the shadows of a pillar; he seemed to be carrying a bowl of some content. Deciding on following him, Inuyasha moved in on his prey.

Koga arrived shortly after him and followed up on his plan.

After careful stalking, Kagome, Inuyasha and Koga came at long last to Sesshoumaru's bedrooms.

XxXxXx

It wasn't like he had a heart for the weak or frail, but none the less. There he sat and tried to nurse the young man. He had ordered Jaken to get some soup and some other servants to remove the carcass of his doctor.

'I still find it hard to believe that he wanted to kill me. Probably hoping to be named lord after he had faked a will about me giving him the entire title..'

He tried to make himself more comfortable next to the bed. Contemplating how he would give the cub back to the wolves without starting a war, he rested a damped cloth against Ginta's neck.

"I think that someone has taken the liberty off letting themselves into your castle milord." Jaken huffed as he carried in the soup-bowl.

Placing it on a table next his master, he surveyed the silver haired cub.

'How could he have this power? And he even used Master's blade..'

He shook his head and started cleaning up the dead remains along with the other servants.

Sesshoumaru noted this and got up to investigate. Upon opening the doors, he almost gasped in shock as his younger brother along with Koga and that human-girl stumbled in on him. Obviously they had been leaning on it in order to listen in on his conversation.

"Well well. You're making house calls now brother dear?" He smirked down at the perplexed trio.

Gathering themselves, they got up and glared at him.

Koga was the first to regain his sense of speech. "Ginta-chan!"

He sprinted over and knelt down beside the bed. Discovering that the cub was unconscious, he turned and scowled at Sesshoumaru. "What have you done to him?" He hollered.

The demon lord just stood there, mysteriously staring at them.

Coming over to Ginta as well, Kagome checked if he was all right. His pulse and breathing was normal, he just seemed 'drained'...

"Koga, he's fine. Just asleep."

She smiled reassuring and took over where Sesshoumaru had left off. "Was it you who had him here all this time?"

She wondered as she soaked the cloth anew.

Sesshoumaru smiled bitterly at this and walked away from his brother. "No. It was Naraku. I have no idea what he was doing with the cub in his possession, but I made it clear to him that I did not tolerate this."

Inuyasha snorted at him. "Tolerate what? That Naraku was mistreating him?"

He smiled sarcastically. "I didn't know that you had grown a heart 'brother dear'."

Not answering, the elder of the two walked over to Ginta's bedside. "You can think whatever you wish... Koga-sama, will you be taking him home with you now?"

Koga shifted his weight and considered it.

"No, I think he should rest up before coming back to the village." He muttered and began stroking the fine hair of Ginta's neck.

"In fact," He sighed and got up to walk away. "I don't think that Ginta should be with me anymore."

The others could only watch as he disappeared out the door.

Kagome was the first to react and start to go after him, but Inuyasha stopped her with a wave. "Don't. I know what he means. From now on he won't be having any companions with him, he'll go after Naraku all by himself."

He shook his head at his own words and leant up against a wall. It had been ages since he had been inside one of his father's castles. It felt strange and awkward. He peeked over at his older sibling.

"So what do you do now then little brother?" Sesshoumaru's voice was suddenly so close to his ear that it had him startled for a second.

"I dunno.." He muttered and averted his older brother's gaze.

"I think we need to talk..."

He cringed. What, now the bastard wanted to talk!

"I think we already have talked enough." He tried to edge away but Sesshoumaru grabbed onto him. "What we have done has not been talking and you know it."

He walked past Inuyasha and out into the abandoned hallway. "Come this way. If you do not wish to talk, let at least me lift some weight off of my chest."

Kagome stared after them. Were they really going to talk things out? She turned back to Ginta as she heared the younger man move.

"Ginta-chan?" He looked back up at her, his face suddenly brightening. "Nee-san!"

He threw his arms around her and cried. "I was so scared and I've been with Naraku for all this time and he tricked me into helping him, but it was good even though because milord was sick and needed help from me and-and!" He fell silent and whispered something into her ear.

She smiled at him and offered him some soup before glancing at the empty doorway. 'I wonder how Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru will talk things out...'

* * *

A/N: I know,I know. There's a dozen loose ends here in this chapter... It'll all come together in the next; The shards of Koji, Sess and Inu's talk. Koga's decision... 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or his smexy brother... /cry. But! I do have rights to this storyline/triumphant!

A/N: I am ever so sorry for posting so late! I could blame this on laziness, that my pc don't have the requiered programs or that I was struck with a writersblock and that it left me in a coma/daze for half a year...

But that would have been mean... So I'll settle for apologize to you all/deep bow.

Summary: This story revolves more around Ginta than it revoles around our fave brothers (no, not the mario's..) So! It seems Ginta has inherited some strange powers that can heal and recreate bodyparts.. So off course Naraku wants this power, but Sesshoumaru gets in the way for him. Lots of OOC, cuz I won't claim that any of these chars knows what their doing, and if they did, I'd be in secret hiding atm... Enjoy :3

* * *

_ A Past Revealed_

_Chapter two_

Leaning on the railing in the gigantic hallway, Inuyasha glared at his older brother. He didn't feel quite comfortable with leaving Kagome all alone but he wasn't keen on upsetting Sesshoumaru either...

"So, what do you want to talk about?" He shot him an ironic look. "Half-grown arms?"

Giving him even less attention than before, the older man walked majestic down the hall way, leading the way.

Sliding down into the hallway after his half-brother, Inuyasha inspected the walls that were lined with beautiful ink-images of great battles and some of people in conversation. All in all; they looked impressive and he wondered if it had been his father who had gotten a hold of them.

"Well, where are you taking me?"

He trotted up along side Sesshoumaru who still seemed to be ignoring him. Walking down another hallway, they came to a stop infront of a door. Leading Inuyasha inside, Sesshoumaru closed the door with a low bang behind him.

"Inuyasha... What I am to tell you—"

He sighed and rubbed his temple. How _was_ he going to tell him? Surely his younger brother would think he was lying! Damn that father of theirs! Poisoning their minds with lies... He growled involuntery which gave Inuyasha the idea that it might just be an ambush that he had been led into.

"You bastard! You were only trying to get me away from they others, weren't you!"

Launching himself towards Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha slashed out. Luckely Sesshoumaru could block it and grabbed one of his brother's wrists in his free hand. Glancing coldly into Inuyasha's eyes, he snarled.

"I am _not_ a bastard..."

Twisting the wrist to the brink of it breaking, he kept his eyes on Inuyasha.

"_Understand?_"

The pain getting to him, Inuyasha huffed annoyed and pulled his arm free.

"Fine, I get it." He crossed his arms and looked away from the fierce glare.

Gathering the fur ornament that was always draped over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru then simply left the room. Giving the stunned hanyou one last over his shoulder, look he sneered.

"Since you will never believe my words, I will let this room tell you the truth..."

And with that he left, slamming the door on his way out. Left behind, Inuyasha reached over to the ever annoying flea that he always carried with him.

"What does he mean by that?!"

Getting no imediate respons from the confused flea, he walked across the large room to try and vent his frustrations. It looked like a library. Scrolls and books were stacked neatly along the many shelf, reaching all the way to the ceiling. It was dark, due to planks having been nailed across the windows making the room seem smaller than it was. In the middle of it all; three cushins were perched in sort of a triangle. Walking closer to them, Inuyasha noticed, from the large amount of piled up dust, that no one had been in this room for ages.

Suddenly, the sound of feet crossing the room behind him, caused him to whirl around. He wasn't about to let himself be caught off-guard by anything that Sesshoumaru might have been planning for him! Laying his ears backwards he sneered towards the person that he could barely see in the darkness. The person seemed to be hovering in thin air. Stepping forth, he started to wonder if it was a ghost. Maybe it was his mother...

"Mother, is that you?"

The figure suddenly took a more steadier form and he gasped and fell back towards the cuishins.

"Inuyasha-sama, don't touch the pillows!"

Myouga jumped towards him, but the ghost was already by Inuyasha's side. White hair tumbled down into his face as the woman leaned over him. Her beautiful golden eyes was filled with tears and the likeness was almost shockingly close. Only the markings seperated them. Opening her mouth a whispering voice emitted from the walls around him.

"Sesshoumaru-chan, I-I'm so happy that you are here!"

He thought his eyes was going to pop out of his head. It had to be Sesshoumaru's mother! He tried to stumble further back, but she fell to her knees in between his legs and threw her arms around him in a warm embrace.

"Hey lady, I'm not who you think I am!"

He felt paralyzed, something in him filled him with sorrow and he could hear her cry into his chest. Placing a hand on her head, he decided to try and figure out why Sesshoumaru would let his mother stay around as a ghost.

"Do you want to sit up?"

He helped her to steady herself. Besides him, Myouga dropped his jaw. After gathering his wits, the flea smiled.

"Indeed, Sesshoumaru did inherit his mother's beauty..."

Giving the flea an icecold glare, Inuyasha reached out to grab Myouga. Bringing him to his face, the dog-demon growled for an explanation. After failing at twisting away, Myouga gave in.

"Milord, this room is very special. Not only is Sesshoumaru's mother here, but this room is also known as the Room of Memories. Often used by your own father to store away history about his epic battles and such. Bah, it wouldn't surprise me if that scoundrel of a half-brother of yours threw out the useful information to make room for the memory of his beloved mother."

The flea twisted free at last and jumped to a pillow. Pointing at them, he explained that the pillows were in fact items used to observe the memories. Sitting on them and focusing, brougth you a hundred years back in time to gaze upon a battle that once was. All you had to do was to concentrate enough. You could even move around, making it easy to also see the two sides of a conflict.

Drawing his breath while taking in the various information, Inuyasha looked at the crying woman infront of him. How had she died? Had Sesshoumaru killed her himself? Or did he keep her here for other reasons? Getting up, he saw the woman disolve and he turned to face the flea.

"All I have to do is to concentrate enough right?"

x x x x x

Walking back to his office. Sesshoumaru could only hope that his brother had enough brains in his skull to figure things out on his own.

Shaking his head, he strolled into his room, only to come face to face with the young woman who had bewitched his younger brother.

"You're still here?"

He gave her a dead panned look and stepped away from the doorway.

She gave him an odd look and got up. Stepping past him, she drew her breath and looked daringly up at him.

"What are you planning on doing to Ginta-chan?"

Actually gracing her with a smile, he simply shook his head.

"I am planning on returning him to his people. I never planned on anything with him..."

He looked past her and met the gaze of the young wolf-demon. Ginta looked hopefully back into his eyes. Just then, something pulled at Sesshoumaru and he smiled back. This time it was colder and more coy.

"Or maybe I _should_ keep him, if only for a little while longer. But you needn't to worry milady, he is in safe _hands_..."

He bowed at her and led the way out the door towards the main entrance. Following close in their steps, Jaken muttered hatefully under his breath.

Once outside, Sesshoumaru bowed again, then stepped back inside without a word of explanation. Left outside, Kagome quickly met up with her friends and headed towards the templecity yet again.

Back inside however, Sesshoumaru leaned heavily on the door frame and swallowed. Had he just said what he thought he had? He shook his head and tried to clear it. Nothing seemed to make any sense today, he thought and returned back to his office.

Ginta was looking into the fireplace when he came back inside. Not taking notice off the cub, Sesshoumaru strolled over to his desk to have a sit down. Upon seeing him come back inside, Ginta jumped to his feet and scrambled over to him.

"Um, sir? Why did you tell her that you intended to keep me?"

He shuffled his feet and peered curiously at the older man. Sesshoumaru seemed far too busy with his papers to notice him. Ginta had to clear his throat in order to get some attention.

Smirking, the white haired man placed down the papers and looked at him.

"I said what I said because I meant it like that. I do intend to make use of you now that you are in my care. I also have some questions for you... For example; Have he changed much or is he still as stubbourn as ever?"

Ginta looked confused at him.

"What, who are you talking about?"

Sesshoumaru gave him an odd look that sent shivers down his spine. Getting back to his feet, the tall man walked around his desk to face the cub directly.

"I'm talking about Koga..."

x x x x x

In the meanwhile, Inuyasha was traveling even further back into time, mentally off course.

Opening his eyes again, he recognized the room as the main living room. He was facing the windows and outside he saw that fall had come. Looking up, he was slightly bewildered to see the back of his father. He was looking out of the window, down onto something. Getting hastily to his feet, Inuyasha walked over to the window as well. Peering outside, he saw a huge fruit garden. Among the many trees and falling leaves, he saw the known figure of a woman. She was holding a white haired child in her arms.

While trying to move his spiritual self to the garden, he overheard a comment form his father.

"Heh, I bet he will grow up to be grand! Do you not think so Myouga-sama?"

He barked out a short laugther and turned and passed through Inuyasha and over to a large wodden desk. And indeed, Myouga was placed upon it, appearently drinking from a small bowl of _sake_.

"Yes milord! 'hic'. Sesshoumaru-sama seems to be the perfect child. Beautiful and strong!"

The flea then dropped his voice, not aware of the dog-demon's great hearing.

"Though, that comment is too early to make... He seems a little too fragile to be strong... Maybe with the correct training—"

A growl from his master's direction caused he to jump.

"Mi-milord?"

'...'-sama seemed annoyed but for the moment it looked like he was going to let the comment pass.

"I _know_ he will be strong and if he proves not to be... Then that will be no problem."

Thinking he had heard enough, Inuyasha concentrated the best he could and _floated_ out towards the gardens. Landing only a few feet away from the couple, he could almost smell the pup. Sesshoumaru's mother seemed to be pulling his clothes closer together while the child seemed to be more interesting in the many colors of the leaves falling around him.

"Mama look! The sky is falling, isn't it pretty?"

Sesshoumaru giggled and looked at his mother who inreturn looked at him with love in her eyes.

"Yes Sesshoumaru-chan, it is beautiful to see _leaves_ fall to the ground in the fall."

She pulled him close and smelled his white hair. Looking puzzled at her, Sesshoumaru pulled free and tried to smell hers in return.

"Mama smells good!"

He laughed again, a sound that seemed distant to Inuyasha. How could his brother have grown up to be so ruthless when he had once been like this? He shook his head and decided to watch some more. Deep in his heart, there was a part of him that wished to know his brother better, how crazy had it had seemed...

Stepping out off reach of his mother, fumbling with his first steps, Sesshoumaru grabbed a hold of the nearest he could; a young treetrunk. It's branches shivered as the boy shook the surprised tree. Looking up among the leaves that fell down, he smiled as a piece of fruit fell down besides him. Leaning down, he tried to pick it up, but his hands was still too nimble to grasp such large objects. Laughing, his mother picked it up and presented it to him.

"This is a foreign fruit that your father brought here from a distant land. It's is called an apple."

She showed him the yellow apple and waited patiently for him to register the word.

"Apple..."

He placed a hand on it and pressed his nose to it clumsily to snif it.

"It smells good, mama."

He tilted his head, making Inuyasha smirk. Sesshoumaru seemed so clumsy and joyful, it almost made him wonder if it was the real deal. Watching them, his ears perked as he heard his half-brother cough into his mothers chest. She fussed over this and pulled him into the fur that cradled her slim shoulders. Lookin closer at it, he saw that it was _not_ the same fur as his older brother used. This one was a darker grey and seemed less _fluffy_...

"Oh my, Sesshoumaru-chan, you're not catching a cold are you?"

She hugged him and nuzzled his hair. Picking the apple up again, she smiled down at the bundle in her lap. Holding it infront of him, she giggled.

"Want to make a promise with me?"

She dropped him gently to the ground and picked a smaller apple and handed it to him. He looked at it and struggled to keep it in his hands. Obviously she was trying to be cermonial when she bent down to him. Waving a finger in his face, she laughed softly.

"Since it is your birthday today—"

She gave him a smile when he tilted his head.

"Yes, you're three years old now, and a big boy at that!"

Again she straightened her back and held the apple to her mouth. Taking a big bite, she chewed it carefully, letting Sesshoumaru watch as she devoured a piece of it.

"And we shall do this, eat an apple, on each one of your birthdays from now on!"

Sesshoumaru looked from her and to his apple. Trying the best he could, he chewed off a piece of it and munched on the sour fruit. His mother ruffled his hair and told him that apples was good for him, seeing that he was to become a big boy and all.

"Mama, why has papa been giving me an odd look lately?"

She frowned at this, then smiled.

"Because he doesn't know how to show you how much he loves you."

"But he throws me into the air and laugh like he always did before, doesn't that mean that he loves me?"

"Well, yes, it does... Listen, your father does a lot of odd things, maybe it would be best if you were not to let yourself be bothered by it..."

She looked away with a solem look on her face. Inuyasha thought for a second that she looked like someone else he had seen when she made that face... Maybe it had been Kikyo..? He slumped against a tree and closed his eyes. Suddenly a voice echoed inside him.

"_I know that you are watching this, and there is something that I need you to see._"

The voice belonged to his step-mother and he nodded slowely as she continued.

"_I need someone to see this and to free my son from my husband's poisoned words..._"

A tug, as if someone pulled him away, awoke him to the next scene. The new scene was the great halls staircase, where his brother was hiding. He seemed older now, maybe five years old. Below him by the entrance, a huge demon with cat-like features, was greeting his father and by his side were numerous servants unloading luggage to be carried away to a designated room. They seemed to be talking about something in low exited voices and suddenly a little girl in heavy decorated clothes appeared besides them. She wore white facial paint, despite her young age of four.

Curious, Sesshoumaru leaned over the railing to see the newcomers better, then all of a sudden, as if remembering something; he disappeared down the hall way towards his own room.

Following him, Inuyasha trusted his instincts to guide him to whatever the ghost wanted him to see. Upon arriving at the room, he spotted a little human girl with black hair and big brown eyes, making up fire and lightning the candles. Slumping down on his bed, Sesshoumaru started talking into the air as if not to her at all but to the air around him.

"Father has gotten visitors... I wonder who that little girl is."

When he turned to face her, she was already looking at him. The two of them stared, then after a minute or so with serious staring, the contest ended with both of them loosing face and snickering. Pushing his white hair back, Sesshoumaru rolled over onto his stomach, looking at the girl dreamily.

"How long have you worked here now Asami-chan?"

She smiled weakly and got up. Brushing of some dust, she started to open several of the windows.

"I don't know Sesshoumaru-sama. Perhaps one year now..."

Inuyasha had to cover his mouth. This girl, she looked just like that brat that his brother always lugged around with him! So that was why Sesshoumaru had a weakness for her, he had a _friend_ back when he was younger that reminded him of her... He snickered and blew some hair out his face.

'Well, well Sesshoumaru, now you're really starting to catch my curiousity..'

x x x x x

After telling her friends of Sesshoumaru's odd behaviour, Kagome sat down to have a bowl of rice that Miroku had provided her with. The wind was beginning to pick up again, so they had to find shelter before the evening settled in. Crunching on some half boiled rice-corns, she shifted her attention towards Koji who was still lurking around the bushes.She could easily sense it was him by the shards in his legs. But other than that, she would have some trouble spotting him among the leaves.

Shippo was still pouting over tha fact that Ginta hadn't come back yet. He missed the wolf-demon and the urge to risk his life to go see him was beginning to come over him. Reaching over, he asked for another bowl of rice. Seeing that Kagome hadn't been home for over a month now, they were running out of food supplies, well; yummy food supplies anyways...

A glimse of brown fur caught his eyes, and caused him to roll them skywards. Koji-sama had been circleing them for two hours now. Honestly, if the guy wanted something to eat, all he had to do was ask! He huffed and jumped onto Kagome's lap. Peering up into her eyes, he tried to look his cutest. Catching the drift, she sighed and shook her head at him.

"I'm really sorry Shippo-chan, but I don't have anymore candy. I need to go home and get it. Though, Inuyasha would probobably freak if I did it without him knowing..."

She gazed towards the castle again. Inuyasha _had_ been away for a long time now. Wasn't he supposed to be back soon? The sky was reddening and clouds gathered above the setting sun. Getting to her feet, she told the others to pack up their stuff. The closest shelter that they could possibly find would be either the temple city or Sesshoumaru's castle... Out two evils, she choosed to head back to the man-eating wolves.

The city seemed deserted when they came there. Only a few wolves were left. Running over to them, Shippo tried to ask them what that had became of the rest. After a few minutes, he returned a little embarressed. Obviously, most of the demons were out hunting, while the ones that were too weak or too young stayed inside the temple.

Trudging over to the building, Miroku raised an eyebrow.

"It makes me curious, the fact that these savages live in an abandoned temple. Surely the holy aura would keep them at a reasonable distance..."

He walked up to the entrance and peered inside. It seemed very clean, though the ceiling and some of the walls had several holes decorating them. As carved out of the mountain, the temple contained no statue of the Buddah or other holy relics. Moss was covering the floor, giving rest to whoever might have come here a well-deserved rest. Light was still filtering in from above but most of the light came from torches that had been placed along the walls.

Well inside, they decided to find the old demon who had first greeted them along with her leader. They found her sitting in a corner with a small pack of children around her. Approaching them, Kagome felt a twinge off fear for what could be happening to Inuyasha up at the castle, but she knew that he could handle himself.

x x x x x

"I have an offer to you, Ginta-san."

Sesshoumaru nodded to the servant who had brought some refreshments to leave the room. Ginta perked up from his investigation of the meal that he had been given. Swalloing the meat and looking over at his host, he felt his stomach lurk.

"Um.. yes?"

Almost giving into another smile, Sesshoumaru fought the urge and inhaled instead.

"As we both know, you have inherited great power. The power to heal claims, offcourse, a small price however. This is why I wished for you to eat your fill before venturing into the following event."

Ginta stared stupidly at the greatlord. What was he saying? That he needed Ginta's powers? He chuckled and smiled at the other man.

"At your service, mylord."

This time earning himself a half smile, Sesshoumaru got up from his seat and went over to sit next to Ginta. Lifting the short stump of an arm that he had, he looked the wolf, dead in the eyes.

"I would really like to have my arm back. You have done a brilliant job so far, so I hope that you will finish it."

Catching on quickly, Ginta smiled and placed a hand on the half healed arm. Closing his eyes, he repeated the event until Sesshoumaru told him to stop. They could see that this would take longer time than they had both thought it would. Sesshoumaru allowed the young man to rest against his chest while gathering his wits again.

"Perhaps tommorrow?"

He looked down, but Ginta shook his head fiercely.

"No, I want this to end, having to look at how you are incapable of small tasks because of that arm-"

Sesshoumaru stopped the flood of word by pressing his right hand to Ginta's mouth.

"Never be hasty, I am not dying I'll have you know."

A twinkle of humor in his eye, the greatlord rose from his seat and called a servant.

"See to that Ginta-san here never lacks anything that he might need. A room in the same wing as me and make sure he gets a warm bath."

Ginta felt himself pouting as he saw the other man leave the room. He could atleast have thanked him... Not showered him with othered things.. Also getting up, he adjusted his kimono and told the servant that he wished to bathe at once. Feeling glum and probably looking glum as well, the wolf demon started walking towards the bathing area.

x x x x x

The next scene Inuyasha was entitled to see wasn't one that he had expected. Before him sat his father and this strange demon of China. Perched on a pillow next to them were their children. Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha felt that he knew what was coming.

"A marriage would be an exellent merger for our two lands."

Inuyasha's father started. The other demon nodded.

"Indeed, our beautiful children would make an endaring couple. The mix would be perfect."

Inuyasha floated closer to his older brother. The boy was looking down at the floor, not risking a peek at his soon-to-be-bride. The girl however snarled at her father.

"Me, marry that ghastly creature. Surely a princess of my standards would not have to marry this cretin?!"

Her father just smiled, but Inuyasha's father inhaled sharply. nudging Sesshoumaru, he hoped that the boy would show some backbone and defend himself. But nothing came, not even a whisper. All the pale young boy did was to hide his face behind a curtain of white hair. Seeing how her fiancèe didn't even stand up for himself, she laughed hauntly.

"He has no courage, no reason to carry a sword. Let him become a servant that feeds the chickens, if that is not too much for him to bare..."

Her father looked apologetic towards the greatlord.

"My apologies, her mother was a hardspeaking woman and I am afraid that she might have inherited it."

"No offence..." Inuyasha's father growled through gritted teeth. "My son should have been able to stand up for himself. But there is still time to shape him into the warrior that I asume he will become. Give me until his 18th birthday, no other demon will have more bloodthirst than him." He nodded and his guest nodded in arguiment.

After they had agreed on the terms, the guests departed. Standing in the doorway, Sesshoumaru looked up into the air after his fiance. His father was outraged over the insults given by the little princess.

"Son, how could you let her walk over you like that, you should have slapped her or told her to shut up..." He looked down on his only child. "Do not give me a reason boy..."

Meeting the eyes of his father, Sesshoumaru bit his lip.

"But you told me to be polite, to only be seen, not heard.. I was only-"

"ONLY?! I have raised you to be strong! I wished for this alliance for over 10 years!! Your mother has softened you!" The older man thundered and stomped his foot down. Raising his arms to protect him from a possible blow, Sesshoumaru whimpered.

"Please don't shout.."

His father paused, then growled deep in his throat. "I am sending you to train sword fighting... when I lay my eyes upon you again, I want to see you killing someone!" And with that, his lordship walked off leaving a five years old boy to fend for himself.

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. The pup had that one coming... Acting so weak... No father wished his sons to be chickenfeeders.

* * *

To Be Continued!! Mehehehe!! Let's all hope that I don't go waddling around for another half year ..; Anyways! Hope there aren't too many mistakes.. I'm looking for a beta, thou Sarahaimwihmoore is a grand one, I dont always have the time to take the ride out to her. Bye bye until next time :D


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